How to Try Apple’s On-Device AI with the fm Command

Summary

This guide explains how Mac users can explore Apple’s on-device Foundation Models through the new `fm` command, without Swift, Xcode, or Python. The feature is intended for Macs with an M3 chip or later and at least 12 GB of memory, although the article presents those requirements as promised availability conditions. Apple’s broader AI strategy emphasizes processing data locally, while heavier requests may still be sent to Private Cloud Compute and models such as AFM 3 Cloud. Before using `fm`, users must accept Apple’s Legal Notice and Terms with `sudo fm license`. The default `fm respond` mode can answer some basic macOS questions, but it cannot read the clock or identify the Mac, frequently makes factual errors, and gives the wrong answer to the familiar “strawberry” letter-count question. The article finds Chat mode more useful for inspecting how the small model structures an answer: users can provide short instructions, define a role, request a plan and displayed work, and resume sessions with a generated command. The model has a limited token budget, so instructions should remain brief. Because processing is local, sessions do not appear in Apple Intelligence Reports; instead, `fm` stores lightweight JSON transcripts under `~/.fm/sessions/`. The article points readers to the command’s man page and Apple’s Foundation Models documentation for further technical detail.